Hoosiers to play Minnesota in four-game series

IU coach Tracy Smith has said all year that everything he and his team have done has been building toward Big Ten play. It’s time to stop building and see what they’ve done. \nThe IU baseball team travels to Minnesota this weekend for a four-game set with the Golden Gophers. The series marks the start of conference competition for the Hoosiers (10-7), who will take a five-game winning streak with them to Minneapolis. \nLast time out, the Hoosiers used a five-run sixth inning to blow out visiting Xavier 10-4 in just their third home game of the year. Senior right hander Chris McCombs picked up the victory for the home squad, and freshman right fielder Kipp Schutz and sophomore catcher Josh Phegley combined to drive in six of the Hoosiers’ nine earned runs. \nSchutz has had the hot bat for the Hoosiers from the cleanup spot. Against Xavier, Schutz went 4-for-5 with three runs batted in, pushing his batting average to .373 in the process. The Evansville native said after Wednesday’s win that he was pleased with his performance, as well as the improved weather. \n“I was seeing it well, just trying to get some hits,” Schutz said.\nPhegley also had another impressive day behind the plate and next to it against Xavier, gunning down three runners trying to steal second. So far this season, Phegley is 10-of-19 in throwing out base runners, and several of the missed chances came on first-and-third situations when Phegley held onto the ball to keep the runner at third from scoring. Still, that mark is good enough for first in the Big Ten among regular catchers. \nSmith said having that kind of reliability behind the plate makes everyone feel more confident and at ease, both players \nand coaches. \n“He is a weapon behind the plate, plain and simple,” Smith said. \nPhegley said playing defense is his “favorite part” of playing catcher.\n“That’s why I’m back there,” said the sophomore from Terre Haute. He also said his defensive success aided in his confidence in the batters box. \nIn Minnesota, IU will face a team sitting middle of the pack in the Big Ten. The Gophers (10-9) are seventh in the conference in both hitting and pitching, but their non-conference success thus far has them a firm fifth overall, just behind IU, in the conference standings. \nStatistics aside, the Gophers are riding an impressive 12-5 victory over No. 2 Missouri in their Wednesday matchup with the Tigers. The win was Minnesota’s third over a ranked team this season, having beaten No. 18 Tulane and No. 29 Pepperdine at home earlier this year. \nHome is a rather big place for the Gophers at present. Due to inclement and cold weather, Minnesota plays most of its games in the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis — home of the Twins and Vikings — until warmer weather permits them to play outside. \nThe Hoosiers, by comparison, rank second in the conference in both hitting and pitching, something Smith was pleased with. However, he said his team still needs to work on its defense. \nPhegley said the team is looking forward to Big Ten play. He said the Hoosiers’ non-conference schedule will help them carry their hot bats and win streak into their first conference series.\n“I think we’re swinging the bats really well,” Phegley said. “Just trying to keep that going as long as we can.” \nSchutz said his team’s winning streak will be important heading into conference play, as they look to qualify for the Big \nTen Tournament. \n“I think it’s big that we won five in a row,” Schutz said. “This gives us a lot of confidence, we’re finding ways to win, and winning’s contagious, so hopefully we keep going.”\nStaff reporter Ryan Gregg contributed to this report.